This invention relates to vibrating sexual enhancement devices designed to increase sexual stimulation and more particularly to devices that improve gratification during oral-genital sex acts.
It is well known by those knowledgeable in the art that vibrating devices can greatly enhance sexual stimulation. In use, these devices typically directly contact the area to be stimulated. Such devices work well when used for self-masturbation whereby the user and the recipient are the same person. This is because the user feels the resulting sensations and he/she is therefore able to optimally manipulate the device. However, when one person uses such devices to stimulate another there is no auto-tactile feedback to the user making it difficult to apply the precise amount of force to precisely the right area. Often too much or too little force is applied, and often to the wrong areas. This can become especially problematic in the case where the device is used for clitoral stimulation. This is because a woman""s clitoris can be extremely sensitive, and harsh or direct stimulation can actually be irritating or even painful. Although clitoral stimulation is the only way some women can achieve orgasm, overly aggressive or improper stimulation can accordingly be adversely effective.
An intimate and sensual means of accomplishing clitoral stimulation between sex partners is oral sex, which can be used as a means of foreplay to increase a woman""s arousal before intercourse, or as a complete sex act to bring the woman to orgasm. During this act the woman""s partner experiences lingual tactile feedback and is therefore more able to effectively control both the force and location of the stimulation given in order to achieve the desired sensations. In an attempt to optimize these sensations the woman""s partner often tries to rapidly flick or xe2x80x9cvibratexe2x80x9d his/her tongue on and around the woman""s clitoris. But due to biomechanical limitations it is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the sensual cyclic rapidity of an electro-mechanical vibration device.
One form of a certain prior-art device comprises a vibrator that is attached to an elastic ring that encircles the user""s tongue. A problem with this device is that it has exposed metal surfaces that can irritatingly contact and, by admission, even damage the user""s teeth. In an attempt to address this problem, the device is provided with elastomeric sleeves, however the sleeves only shroud a portion of the metal surfaces leaving major portions uncovered. Also the sleeves are thin-walled and are therefore inadequately effective. Another problem with the device is that since the tongue is compliant and tapers toward its tip, the elastic ring easily slips inappropriately forward to the extent that the vibrator rattles against the user""s anterior teeth or even falls out of the user""s mouth. Also, the constrictive elastic ring can be quite uncomfortable. In another form of the device, the vibrator is attached to the user""s tongue by means of a shaft, which passes through a hole pierced in the tongue and is then screwed into an opposing barbell. A problem with this device is that its use is limited to those individuals having pierced tongues.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a comfortable, reliably stabilized device that enables lingual tactile feedback while causing a user""s tongue to rapidly, yet gently, vibrate during various oral sex acts such as cunnilingus. And also a device that is useable by anyone.
The present invention is a device for use during oral sex that causes a user""s tongue to vibrate. The device comprises a mouthpiece containing an electrically powered vibrator, and a controller. In the preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece is bilaterally symmetrical to a vertical plane that is coincident with the sagittal plane of symmetry of the user. The mouthpiece includes a constrained portion adapted to fit in the user""s mouth below the tongue in a sub-lingual basin that is defined by the lingual surfaces of the mandibular teeth and gums, the floor of the mouth, and a basal portion of the inferior surface of the tongue. The sub-lingual basin has an anterior portion essentially comprising the lingual surfaces of the anterior mandibular teeth and gums. The anterior portion has a substantially cylindrically curved surface having a radius that varies somewhat between different individuals within a range of about 0.75 inch to about 1.0 inch. The constrained portion of the mouthpiece has a length between an anterior end and a posterior end, and a thickness between an upper surface and a lower surface. During use, the upper surface contacts the inferior surface of the users"" tongue, the lower surface contacts the anterior portion of the sublingual basin, and the anterior end is situated adjacent the upper edges of the anterior mandibular teeth. The constrained portion is constrained in the sub-lingual basin as it is held against the anterior portion by the inferior surface of the tongue. As used herein, terms such as xe2x80x9canteriorxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cposteriorxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cupperxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clowerxe2x80x9d and other terms describing orientation of features of the mouthpiece relate to the mouthpiece when it is appropriately positioned in the user""s mouth as the user""s head is upright.
The mouthpiece includes a retaining means for retaining the vibrator in an orientation perpendicular to the vertical plane of symmetry of the mouthpiece. A portion of the upper surface of the mouthpiece adjacent the user""s anterior mandibular teeth is preferably situated above an occlusal plane that is coincident with the tops of the mandibular teeth. This assures that vibrations are optimally imparted to the tongue, and also helps prevent the tongue from contacting the tops of the anterior mandibular teeth, which could act to dampen the tongue""s vibrations. The vibrator is connected via electrical conductors such as wires to the controller whereby the controller comprises a battery compartment, a battery, and an electrical switch that serves to turn the vibrator on and off. The battery compartment includes a cover that is at least partially removable for the purpose of providing access thereto. The vibrator comprises a capsule made of a rigid material that encapsulates an electric motor having a shaft that has an eccentric weight attached thereto which causes the vibrator to vibrate when the shaft rapidly rotates. The vibrator is preferably approximately 1.0 inch long and about 0.4 inch in diameter. This size satisfies spatial constraints inherent with the location and function of the mouthpiece while allowing for a vibrator having sufficient energy to impart adequate vibrations to the tongue. The vibrator may be permanently encased within the mouthpiece or it may be removable/replaceable. If permanently encased it is hermetically sealed therein to prevent moisture such as saliva from entering the cavity during use or other liquids during cleaning. This protects the vibrator""s electronics from possibly shorting and also seals habitats that could harbor and support the growth of deleterious microorganisms. If removable/replaceable, the vibrator itself is hermetically sealed for the same reasons.
The mouthpiece is made substantially of a compliant, resilient material such as silicone, vinyl, or latex or a non-reticulated foamed plastic material. Such materials act to dampen the harsh vibrations of the rigid vibrator against the user""s sensitive, unyielding teeth and gums while facilitating the transmission of vibrations to the supple tongue. Also, such compliant materials enable the mouthpiece to yieldingly adapt to fit variations in the anatomical contours of individual user""s mouths. Additionally, when the constrained portion is held against the anterior portion of the basin by the tongue, the compliant material embeds into and conforms to irregularities and crevices in the user""s teeth and gums, which helps to stabilize the device.
In the preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece includes additional stabilizing means comprising at least one surface or feature that cooperates with the mouth""s anatomy to keep the vibrator properly positioned beneath the tongue for optimal performance. A mouthpiece not having such a feature can become unstable during use whereby it may twist, roll or shift out of position to the extent that it becomes ineffective, or even worse, may be accidentally ejected from the mouth. For example, if the entire mouthpiece were simply cylindrical, it may twist such that it only contacts a small area on the side of the lower surface of the tongue. Or, it may move extremely downward and rearward in the sub-lingual basin whereby the vibrations are inefficiently absorbed by the overwhelming mass of the surrounding soft tissue at a location too far from the tip of the tongue to be satisfactorily effective. In either situation the vibrations are not optimally imparted to the tip of the tongue where they are desired.
In a preferred embodiment, providing a constrained portion that is elongate when viewed from the side, whereby its length is greater than its thickness, enhances stabilization. In this embodiment, the lower surface is configured to contact the anterior portion of the sub-lingual basin along a span in the direction of the length, which hinders the mouthpiece from rolling toward the basal portion of the inferior surface of the tongue, even in the absence of other stabilizing means. In this embodiment, stabilization is further enhanced by providing a lower surface configured to compliment the substantially cylindrical contour of the anterior portion of the sub-lingual basin, consequently hindering the mouthpiece from rotating about an axis perpendicular to the anterior portion. Solely, or in combination, these features enable the constrained portion to be trapped and substantially immobilized against the curved surface of the anterior portion by the inferior surface of the tongue.
In certain preferred embodiments, the mouthpiece includes a frontal portion that adjoins and protrudes from the anterior end of the constrained portion. The extent of horizontal protrusion of the frontal portion should be less than 1.0 inch so as not to interfere with the performance of the user""s extended tongue. The frontal portion minimally comprises a tooth-rest having a bottom surface that forms an included angle less than 180xc2x0 with the lower surface of the constrained portion. The tooth-rest is adapted to rest on the upper edges of the user""s lower incisors thereby providing additional stabilizing means as the inferior surface of the tongue presses the tooth-rest into these teeth. In other preferred embodiments, the frontal portion additionally includes a protuberance that projects downward from the tooth-rest, and is adapted to grip the user""s anterior mandibular teeth in cooperation with the lower surface of the constrained portion, thereby providing even another stabilizing means. Alternatively, the frontal portion may include a protuberance that projects downward from the tooth-rest that is adapted to grip the user""s lower lip in cooperation with the lower surface of the constrained portion.
Various other embodiments of the device may be provided with respect to the location of the retaining means and the battery compartment and/or electrical switch of the controller without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the retaining means may be situated in either the constrained portion or the frontal portion adjacent the anterior mandibular teeth. If the retaining means is in the constrained portion, the frontal portion may comprise either a tooth-gripping protuberance or a lip-gripping protuberance that includes the battery compartment and/or electric switch. Conversely, if the retaining means is in the frontal portion, the battery compartment and/or electric switch may be situated in the constrained portion. If the battery compartment and/or electric switch is situated in either the constrained portion or a tooth-gripping protuberance they/it are/is hermetically sealed to prevent propagation of microorganisms and electrical shorts. In any of these instances, the controller may alternatively be remote from the mouthpiece in which case it is connected thereto by the electrical conductors.
In even other embodiments additional stabilization is achieved by providing an external stabilizing means in the form of a strap that is attached to the mouthpiece and wraps around the user""s head, neck or ears. The strap is preferably made, at least partially, of an elastic material and also preferably includes an adjustment means that functions to adjust its length.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an oral sexual enhancement device that causes a user""s tongue to vibrate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a sexually stimulating device that facilitates lingual tactile feedback.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sexual enhancement device that can readily help a woman approach and achieve orgasm in an intimate manner with her sex partner.
Yet even another object of the invention is to provide an oral sexual enhancement device that is reliably stabilized during use and can be used by anyone.